In Absentia: Elizabeth Sutton

Just a quick introduction before blogging post- San Francisco Marathon! I've had the pleasure to meet just a few of you at the track and running hills, and I look forward to meeting others at the City of Lakes and TC 10 Mile!

I have been running since my freshman year of high school at good ole Minneapolis South High. That was waaaay back in 1995. I actually didn't join the cross country team until sophomore year, and didn't join track until I was a senior. I played softball and volleyball instead. I began running the blocks around my neighborhood the summer before school started because I was determined to transform myself from bookish nerd to cool chick. Needless to say, since I am now a professor at the University of Northern Iowa, I clearly couldn't totally relinquish my bookish proclivities. In any case, those same two interests also brought me to Carleton, where I met Jessica and many other fun, fast, and smart people. I might only be fun and smart, but amazingly, in my 31st year, I am actually getting faster (although it's all relative!).

I've never been a speed demon. At Carleton I ran cross country and indoor and outdoor track, where I focused on the 1000 and 1500. I chose those because they were short, but not so short--or so long--that I'd get lapped!

PRs:

5K: 21:43 7/4/2008 Firecracker race, Williamsburg, IA tied with 2009 Park2Park 5K, Cedar Falls, IA

10K: 47:40 Run For The Schools, 10/15/2006 Iowa City, IA

7 mile: 54:20 Run The Flood, 6/11/2011, Cedar Rapids, IA

10 Mile: 1:19:57 MDRA 10 Mile, 5/29/2011, St. Paul, MN

1/2 Marathon: 1:43:33 Sturgis Falls 6/26/2011, Cedar Falls IA

Marathon: 3:53:27 Twin Cities, 10/3/2010, Mpls-St.Paul, MN

My favorite places to run are: Minneapolis Chain of Lakes and anywhere that I'm traveling. I love exploring cities and countryside to get a feel for a place! I travel a lot for research and conferences.
My favorite thing to do is: read and pet animals
My favorite post-run snack: fruit and peanut butter!
On my ipod: ummmm...Enrique Iglesias, Madonna, Ne-Yo, A Perfect Circle, VNV Nation and Covenant. Any suggestions for the upcoming SF marathon are very welcome!!

My goals are: to keep running marathons and feeling good while doing so! I'd love to get under 3:50--doubtful for San Francisco considering the terrain. Mostly, I just want to have fun and feel good and push myself intelligently. It's taken me 10 years to start listening to my body, and I am running happier, healthier, and faster because of smarter training.

After I get back from SF and Yosemite August 8, I'll post about that race! I also have my own blog about running: http://heartlandsharrier.blogspot.com/